Device for operating machines from control tapes



Dec. 28, 1943. R. HOFGAARD DEVICE FOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROLTAPES Original Filed April 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [WW w .EoZf

Dec. 28, 1943. HOFGAARD 2,337,553

DEVICEFOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Original Filed April 5,1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J2 (3'? J13 J06 21 .96 8& v

Dec. 28, 1943. HOFGAARD 2,337,553

DEVICE FOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Original Filed April 5,1940 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 28, 1943 DEVICE FOR OPERATINGMACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Rolf Hofgaard, Nordstrandshogda, prdOslo,Norway; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Original applicationApril 5, 1940, Serial No. 328.090. Divided and this application May 14,1941, Serial No. 393,492. In Norway April 24,

I 9 Claims.

This application is a division of application Serial Number 328,090,filed April 5, 1940.

This invention relates to a device for operating a machine from acontrol tape.

The present invention mainly has for its object a type for typewriting,perforating or printing, by means of which it is made possible toproduce characters which are particularly adapted for accuratemechanical interpretation. for instance by means of photocells orcontact springsi In order to obtain this the types are so formed as toproduce by their engagement with the writin surface a picture composedof a number of fields following after each other in the direction ofreading, each field comprising transversely to the direction of readinga transparent or translucent, or light reflecting part and an opaque ornon-light-reflecting. part.

Each character will accordingly comprise a rectangular surface,consisting of two adjacent strips lying in the direction of reading,said strips being divided in the direction of reading into dark or lightfields in such a manner that a dark field in one strip will alwayscorrespond to a light field in the other strip and vice versa.

The number of characters which may be produced by means of types of theabove mentioned form as it will be understood are 2" where n is thenumber of the double fields comprising a light and a dark sectionfollowing each other in the direction of reading.

For recording the letters of an ordinary alphabet accordingly acharacter composed of five double fields following each other in thedirection of reading will be sufficient.

The types according to the present invention may be printing types bymeans of which the dark fields are produced by blackening, orperforating types, by means of which the light fields are produced byperforation.

In both cases the mechanical interpretation of the writing produced bymeans of the type may be carried out by means of two cooperatingphotocells to which light is supplied by means of a suitable opticalsystem from a source of light under which the characters are moved inthe direction of reading so that when one of the transverse doublefields is exposed to light from the source of light, light will passthrough the translucent or transparent part of the double field'to oneof the photocells, whereas the other photocell is not being illuminated.

By using two cooperating photocells in this manner errors ininterpretation are avoided, the

photocells being so connected that they transmit an electrical impulseonly in case one of the cells is illuminated and the other not.

Instead of using photocells for producing electrical impulses by meansof the double fields of the characters, it is also possible when thecharacters are produced by perforation to use a pair of cooperatingcontact springs which act in thesame manner.

When a character produced by means of a type of the above mentioned kindpasses below the interpretation device consisting of two cooperatingphotocells or contact springs, there will be transmitted by means of oneof the photocells or one of the contact springs a number of impulses,each character corresponding to a certain characteristic sequence ofimpulses.

In order to cause this sequence of impulses to actuate a certainrecording member (for instance the type arm of a typewriting machine, alinotype-machine or the like) the impulse transmitting photocells orcontacts cooperate with a controller, the movement of which issynchronized in such a manner with the relative movement between thesystem of photocells and characters that it transmits each of thesequence of impulses to different sta es of an automatic selector of aconventional type;

In this manner each sequence of impu ses transmitted through theinterpretation system is caused to close the current circuit selected bymeans of said sequence of impulses, said current circuit serving toactuate the recording member for the character corresponding to thesequence of impulses.

It is preferred to use two controllers of the kind specified, adapted tobe cut in alternately so that one controller efiects the transmission ofthe sequence of impulses corresponding to one particular characterduring which time the other returns to its starting position.

Th types in accordance with the present invention may be combined withtypes for ordinary invention for each character which it is desired toreproduce, the types in accordance with the invention. may also beformed by the necessary number of type sections, arranged one after theother in the direction of reading, said sections being adapted to beadjusted transversely to the direction of reading in order to producethe dark or light field in one or the other of the two positionsnecessary to form the impulse combinations.

The relative displacements of said type sections may then be caused bymeans of an ordinary key-board, the keys for each of the ordinarycharacters being adapted to actuate one or more 1 levers causing thedisplacement of the separate sections of the special type.

In the following, some forms of the invention will be described withreference to the diagrammatical drawings.

Fig. 1 is a picture of the printing surface of types in accordance withthe invention corresponding to the characters usually found in anordinary typewriting machine.

- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part oi a machine type which isprovided besides the ordinary characters with the new characters inaccordance with the invention located above the ordinary characters.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of a machine type provided withordinary characters and perforating types.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical cross section of an interpretation devicewith two photocells.

Fig. 5 is a dia rammatic pers ective view of a synchronizing device fortwo controllers.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram for an interpretation device with twophotocells and two controllers.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic side-view of the adjusting device for theseparate sections of a composite special type.

When typewriting is carried out with the new types the new charactersada ted for automatic interpretation will be located in the spacesbetween the lines on which the ordinary characters are found.

In the machine type illustrated in perspective view on an enlarged scaleon Fig. 3 perforation types in accordance with the invention are soplaced that they cover the normal letters a and A, and when this kind oftypes are used there will be produced a perforated writing in accordancewith the new type system on the same line as the ordinary characters.

Referring to Fig. 4, is a source of light, 2 a conventional opticalsystem and 3 a translucent or transparent disk over which a stripprovided with writing produced by the new types is moved in a directionperpendicular to the plane of the surface of the drawings.

4 is a system of prisms by means of which rays of light passing throughthe transparent or translucent parts of the characters are directedeither against the photocell 5 or the photocell 5 according to whetherone part or the other is adapted to let the light come through.

In accordance with the principle of interpretation by means ofphotocells 5 and 6 it is necessary that one or the other of said cellsshould always be in operation.

In case both photocells should simultaneously be in or out of operation,this means that an error has been made. Photocell 5 acts to operaterelay HI whereas photocell 6 acts to operate relay l I. See Fig. 6.

spring l2 will connect the plus terminal of the battery through line 8with line l3. Contact spring |4 remaining in its position of rest con-'nects line l3 with controller arm i5, which is connected in itsstarting position through line It with relay l1 and further with line 9and the minus terminal of the battery. Relay l1 acts to operate twocontacts one of which, l8, closes a self-closing circuit for relay l1from the plus terminal of battery over contacts I8 and I9 associatedwith contact wheel 20, so that line 8 is connected with line 2| oversaid contacts l8, I3 so as to close the circuit as specifiedto the minusterminal of battery.

In case relay ID for photocell 5 is deenergized so that contact spring|2 interrupts the current circuit over relay I 1, said relay will stillbe under current over the self-closing circuit specified until contactwheel 20 interrupts the said circuit by actuating contact spring l9.

In case relay I0 is not energized and current is supplied-to relay II, acurrent circuit will be closed in the same manner from the plus terminalof battery over lin 8 which is now connected by means of contact springl2 with line 22 and from then over contact spring 23, which is then inits closed position connected with line 24 and controller 25. "Thelatter in its starting position as illustrated closes the circuitthrough line 26 to relay 21 and from then to the minus terminal ofbattery. Said relay 21 by means of contact spring 28 closes the sameselfclosing circuit as previously specified for relay l1.

Supposing that the contact arms l5 and 25 have moved one step in acounterclockwise direction it will be seen from the drawings that one oftwo current circuits must be closed, that is either the circuit forrelay 29 or the circuit for relay 30. If arms I5 and 25 are in theirthird position, one of the corresponding relays 3i or 32 will beenergized. In the fourth position one of the relays 33 or 34 and intheir fifth position one of the relays 35 or 36 will be energized in thesame manner.

If the arms I 5 and 25 continue their simultaneous stepwise movementfrom the sixth to the tenth .position it will be seen that currentcircuits will be closed in the same manner either over contact arm l5 torelays 31, 39, 4|, 43 and 45 or over arm 25 to relays 38, 40, 42, 44 and46. Relays ll, 21, 29,, 30, 3|, 32, 33,34, 35 and 36 all have the sameself-closing circuit closed over contact spring l9 and contacts I8, 28as above specified as well as by further contacts 41, 48, 49, 50, 5|,52, 53, 54 as will be seen on the diagram.

In the same manner self-closing circuits are energized for relays 3146from the plus terminal of battery over line 8 and contact spring 55 toline 55 and over contact springs 51--66 for the respective relays 31-46.

By this stepwise displacement of the selector arms I5 and 25, relays Hor 21, 29 or 30, 3| or 32, 33 or 34, 35 or 38 will be energized when theselector arms have passed the five first steps depending on whether oneor the other of relays l0 and II receives current by means of photocells5 and 6.

By the further displacement of arms l5 and 25 the next five steps willclose current circuits either to relay 31 or 38, 39 or 40, 4| or 42, 43or 44, 45 or 46.

If it is now presumed that either line 61 or line 58 is connected to theplus terminal of the bat- Supposing relay ill to be energized contacttery, it will be seen that a current circuit is closed over one of thetwo sets of relays on magnets 69-400.

Presuming that in the first set of relays, relays II, 29, 32, 34 and 35receive current from line 2 I over contacts I8, 41, 50, 52 and 53 thecontact springs of which are in the closed .position, line 61 will beconnected with the following lines: 6'I-IOI-I02I03-I04--I65I06-I01-I08I09 to line I I which is the 26th line counting from the right,leaving relay 36 and joining cable III, the lines of which lead in thesame numerical order to each of the 32 relays 69-400, counting from theright.

Thus relay 94 will be energized, this being the 26th relay counting fromthe right. In case the relays of the other set, that is 31, 39, M, 43and 45 are under current, line 68 leading to the contact setscorresponding to relays 3'I46, will also be connected with line I I0which also leads to relay 94 through cable I I I.

The said magnets 69-I00 in a known manner may be connected with atypewriting machine for releasing or operating the type arms of saidmachine.

Presuming photocell to be operating in the upper part of a light ray andthe photocell 6 in the lower part of the same light ray for recordingcharacters, photocell 5, in order that the said relays, such as H, 29,32, 34 and 35 shall receive current, will be twice activated whenphotocell 6 is neutral, whereupon photocell 6 is activated twice whenphotocell 5 is neutral, whereupon photocell 5 is again activated whereas6 remains neutral.

The five impulses thus interpreted will correspond to the type characterS on Fig. 1. In case photocell 5 is activated in the same manner duringthe two first or five impulses whereby magnets I1 and 29 will receivecurrent, whereupon the third impulse step activates photocell 6 so as tosupply current to relay 32, line 61 will be connected with lines IOI,I02,I03, I04, I05 and I06.

In case photocell 5 is now activated in the fourth impulse step, lineI06 will not be connected with line I01 but with I I2, which is againconnected with line H3, and in case photocell 5 now activated at thefifth impulse step line I I3 will be connected with line I I4 over relay35 which is connected over relay 36 with line I I5. Line I I5 isconnected through cable II I with relay 96.

On Fig. 1 the said sequence of impulses is illustrated by means of thetype indicated with the word switch. Relay 96 consequently is notconnected with any particular type arm but releases and operatesacontact set for cable III, whereby the lines, after the operation ofsaid relay, are disconnected from the coils of magnets 69-I00 andconnected with other magnets. This may be up to 3I for the operation orreleasing of other type arms or functions of a typewriting machine incase the 32 types illustrated on Fig. 1 should also be used for othertype arms or functions of the typewriting machine.

In accordance with the embodiment forming the basis for circuit diagramon 6, the interpretation of the type characters is supposed to betransmitted to the type arms of an ordinary typewriting machine. Theoperation of any particular type arm also causes a stepwise movement ofa contact wheel whereby contacts such as I9 and 55 as well as III and H3are actuated.

The depression of any particular type key as well as the space key (thebar in front of the keyboard) as it is known releases the progressiondevice of the typewriting machine whereby the carriage of the machine ismoved one step when the key actuated is released and the type armreturns to its original position.

It will be immediately understood that besides this releasing deviceother movements may also be performed by the depression of a key. Thusone or more ratchet pawls may in a known manner engage the teeth oftheir respective ratchet wheels whereby these are moved one step by thedepression of the key.

By placing one or mor trailing arms in such a manner that their ends arein engagement with the disk associated with said ratchet pawls, they maybe caused by means of notches or bosses on said disk to perform amovement, whereby contacts are closed or opened or in some cases remainuninfluenced during the stepwise progression.

On Fig. 6, I9, 55, III and H8 indicate such trailing arms actuated bymeans of disks 20, H9 and I20. During the stepwis progression con tactarm III will move from a notch to the top of a tooth. The contact pointof the arm which on Fig. 6 engages contact spring I22 when wheel I I9has moved one step, will engage contact spring I2I. The stepwiseprogression of contact wheel II9 accordingly will cause the plusterminal of battery to be connected at every second step with line 68and at the intermediate steps with line 61.

Disk I20 in the same manner actuates the trailer arm II8 which is movedfrom notch to notch during the stepwise progression whereby contact armI I8 performs a short contact closing, whereby a current circuit isclosed from the plus line 8 through Contact trailer H8 and relay I23 thesecond coil terminal of which is connected with the minus terminal ofbattery. Rela I23 thus receives an impulse for each step of movementcarried out by disk I20.

Disk 26 is like disk I20 provided with small teeth or bosses which whenthey pass trailing arms I9 or 55, lift these during their passage sothat the corresponding contacts which are ordinarily closed, areinterrupted for a short period during the movement. As .it appears fromthe figure. the teeth of disk 20 are placed at such distance from eachother that the contacts are interrupted alternately. Thus when disk 20moves clockwise, the first step will cause movement of contact arm 55whereas contact arm I9 is moved during the next step. Accordingly theself-closing circuits for the two sets of relays are interruptedalternately. Before the sequence of operation is described thesynchronizing device for the paper ribbon from which the photocellsreceive their impulses, will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Bymeans of relay I23 the movement of the paper ribbon is made dependent onthe speed of operation of th typewriting machine. Paper ribbon I24 issupposed to be moved in the direction of the arrow, movement takingplace at uniform speed past the photocells for instance, by means of aspring motor. The movement of the paper ribbon is transmitted to drumI25 on shaft I26. The movement of shaft I26 is transformed asindicateddiagrammatically on Fig. 5

by means of gears I27, I28 to selector devices I5- and 25.

On sleeve I29 which is loosely mounted on shaft I26 is secured ratchetwheel I30 which is adapted to be released stepwise by means of magnetI23. Sleeve I29 is connected with shaft I26 by means of a spiral spring(not shown) which is wound by the rotation of shaft I23 when sleeve I23is maintained in its position by means or pawl I3I.

When shaft I26 has performed a rotation cor responding to a movement ofpaper ribbon I24 caused by the impulse steps for up to two char-.acters, that is in the present case ten impulse pawl I3I, whereas shaftI28 is now free to rotate. The released spiral spring will again beWound until the whole stops again and is held by pawl I3I unless magnetI23 receives an impulse during this period. In this case paper ribbonI24 is moved evenly and uniformly.

The sequence of operations during th interpretation process inconnection with the embodiment illustrated by diagram on Fig. 6 shallnow be described.

It is presumed that ribbon I24 has been placed in front of thephotocells so that the interpretation impulse of the first type issituated under the photocell combination, whereas at the same time theselector arms I and 25 are in their initial position. I

Pawl I3I keeps the whole system locked. The carriage of the typewritingmachine is now adjusted to one step in front of the place where thefirst type is to be printed. The battery which is adapted so as to beeasily connected and disconnected is now supposed to be, connected. Apressure on the space key (the bar) places the typewriting machine inoperative position, whereas at the same time disks 20, H9 and I aremoved one step. Disk I20 thereby transmits an impulse to relay I23 andpaper ribbon I24 starts its uniform movement, the photocells receivinthe five first writing impulses for the first type.

These writing impulses a described above are transmitted to the firstset of relays, comprising relays I'I, 2'I-30. Neither more nor less thanlive relays in the above mentioned set must be closed and these willremain closed, being maintained by means of the self-closing circuitover line 2I. As contact arm II 1 is now connected with spring I2 I, thecurrent circuit will be closed from the plus terminal of battery overline 61 to cable III and one of relays 69-I00 for printing of the typecorresponding to the character interpreted. I

The paper ribbon I24 continues its uniform movement as the spiral springbetween sleeve I29 and ratchet wheel I30 permits a movement of up to 10type impulses before it is completely wound. Consequently the selectorarms continue their movement from the sixth to the tenth step, currentcircuits over the relays in set 3'I46 corresponding to the nextcharacter being closed.

During this continued interpretation one of the magnets under thetypewriting machine is actuated whereby the type first interpreted isprinted and the disks 20, H9 and I20 are moved one step. Magnet I 23receives an impulse by means of which the spiral spring between sleeve.I29 and ratchet wheel I30 is again released so that the paper ribbon I24may continue its uniform movement. v

' Simultaneously with the impulse to locking magnet I23 contactarm I9 ismoved, whereby the relays in line H of the first contact set are cut outand all closed magnets are demagnetlzed. Further contact arm III ismoved from contact spring IN to contact spring I22, whereby as soon asfive of the magnets 31-46 in the second contact set have receivedcurrent, the corresponding magnet in set Bil-I00 is energized in orderto actuate the corresponding type of the typewriting machine.

The contact wheels are hereby moved another step whereby the magnets inthe second contact set are cut out whereas the current circuit of thecontacts in the first contact set will be closed as soon as five magnetsin this set have again received current, etc. In this manner the timenecessary for moving a type against the cylinder of the typewritingmachine as well as for moving the carriage one step to interpret theimpulses produced by the next type is utilized.

The process of interpretation in accordance with the above mentionedprocess will take place with high velocity. In the case of an error ininterpretation, for instance by the simultaneous illumination ornon-illumination of both photocells, the five relays for thecorresponding contact set will not be closed and no current circuit willbe closed to one of magnets Ila-I00, whereby the interpretation processis interrupted.

Fig. '7 illustrates the manner in which a composite special type may beadjusted in connection with the keyboard of a typewriting machine.

The special type is here composed of five pivoted displaceable type armsone of which is shown and indicated with I32. Each of the typearms I32is provided with an element for perforation or blackening so that theyare adapted by adjustment transversely to the direction of reading toform a complete type of the kind illustrated on Fig. 1.

The levers I32 are pivoted on trunnions I33 on levers I34 adapted topivot about stationary trunnions I35. A spring I36 maintains the typearms I32 in their left hand position against a stationary stop I31.

Levers I34 are connected by means of links I38 with levers I39, pivotedon stationary trunnions I40. Levers I39 are arranged in pairs, one pairfor each of levers I34 being located on each side of the keyboard, andthe free ends of these pairs are interconnected by means of cross barsI4I so as to form a number of U-shaped hoops which are all pivoted onthe. stationary trunnion I40. The cross bars I4I for each of theU-shaped hoops corresponding to the several levers I34 and I32, areprovided with notches so as to be actuated by the depression of theseveral keys I42 in case there is no notch in the cross bar I4I directlybelow said key.

The depression of a particular key will there.- fore move one or more oflevers I34, I32 into the position indicated in dotted lines and contactor perforating members of said arm I32 will then be displaced to thelower part of the type character as illustrated on Fig. l.

The depression of one of the keys of the typewriting machine in thismanner will cause the adjustment of the special type corresponding tothe typ of the machine in such a manner that when the type arm I43 ofthe typewriting machine arrives in its striking position as illustratedin dotted lines, it will at the same time engage the special typecomposed by means of arms I32 with its striking surface I44 and thecharacter of the special type will then be printed 1. In a device forthe automatic interpretation of characters having two sets of light anddark fields, two photocells arranged to be respectively associated withthe two sets of light and dark fields, means to cause relative movementbetween the photocells and the characters to be interpreted, meansconnecting said photocells to transmit an impulse when one only of saidphotocells is presented with a light field, a first selector having aplurality of stages and capable of stepwise movement from one stage toanother, an automatic selector having individual selector stages eachunder the influence Of a respective stage of said first selector, meansconnecting said selectors electrically to receive impulses in responseto the transmitting of the electrical 1mpulses by said photocells, andmeans synchronizing the stepwise movement of said first selector and therelative movement between said characters to be interpreted and saidphotocells whereby impulses are selectively transmitted to thesuccessive stages of said automatic selector..

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said photocells control apair of relays respectively, each of the relays having a normally closedswitch unit and a normally opened switch unit which is closed by theenergization of the relay when the respective photocell is presentedwith a light field, the normally closed switch unit of each of saidrelays being connected in series with the normally opened switch unit ofthe other relay whereby both circuits are opened when both photocellsare presented with either a light or adark field.

3. In a device for the automatic interpretation or characters having twosets of light and dark fields, two photocells arranged to berespectively associated with the two sets of light and dark fields,means to cause relative movement between the photocells and thecharacters to' be interpreted, means connecting said photocells totransmit an impulse when one only of said photocells is presented with alight field, two sliding contact selectors'mechanically related to bemoved together and capable of stepwise movement synchronized with therelative movement between the photocells and the characters to beinterpreted, means alternately connecting said contact selectors toreceive impulses upon the transmitting of impulses from said photocells,two

vidual selector stages, and circuit means electrically connecting eachautomatic selector to control a respective stage 01' one of saidautomatic selectors whereby impulses are selectively transmitted to therespective contact selectors and thence are transmitted to thesuccessive stages of the automatic selectors.

4. A device as described in claim 3 wherein each of said contactselectors is formed by a swinging contact arm successively engaging aplurality of stationary contacts.

5. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said contact selectors are.formed by two assemblies mechanically connected to be operated togetherand each of which includes two separate arms.

6. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said contact selectorcooperate in a cycle of operation to first set up an electric circuit inone of said automatic selector assemblies and then in the other of saidautomatic selector assemblies.

7. In a device for the automatic interpretation of characters having aplurality of rows 01 light and dark fields where a predetermined setcomprises a character, a photocell assembly arranged to be associatedwith the light and dark fields including a photocell responsive to each01' the rows, a primary selector assembly capable of stepwise movement,means to move synchronously said primary selector assembly and thecharacters whereby the fields are presented to the photocell assembly, asecondary selector assembly adapted to receive impulses and ,setup aselected circuit, said secondary selector assembly including a.plurality of selector units whereby the circuit corresponding to onecharacter may be set up and maintained while the circuit correspondingto another character is being set up, and circuit means connectingsaidphotocell assembly with said primary selector assembly and connectingsaid primary selector assembly with said secondary selector assembly.

8. A device as described in claim 7 wherein the means for synchronouslymoving the selectors and the characters includes a plurality of cycliccontrol units one of which determines which of said selector units is tobe energized and another of which operates a circuit to start a newcycle of operations.

9. A device as described in claim 7 wherein a cyclic control means isprovided to de-energize each of said selector units when the characterautomatic selector assemblies each having indihas been recorded.

ROLF HOFGAARD.

